Rs11,300 crore boost to dedicated defence communications network

The cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod to enhance the budget by Rs 11,330 crore for a dedicated communications network being set up for the defence forces.

This will be over and above the Rs 13,334 crore already approved by the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure in 2012 for the Network for Spectrum project for building an optical fibre base communication network for defence, Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

The minister was speaking to the media after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met here.

He said the project for the laying of an alternate communication network for the defence services for release of spectrum for civilian use would be completed in 24 months.

The project being implemented by the state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will build an optical fibre base communication network for spectrum being released from the defence quota.

The network is aimed to provide additional overlay and strengthen the defence communication infrastructure and improve redundancy.

It is expected to boost the communication capabilities of the defence forces in a major way for “enhanced national operational preparedness”, an official statement said.

“The project will also have forward linkages to other related industries such as telecom equipment manufacturing and other telecommunication related services.”